PiLFy

Aside from cost efficiency, it works fine. Considering our first world ranks for murder and obesity rates, it's a pretty strong showing. If you want to raise results, you need to: 1) get people to eat better - less junk/fast food, more greens. 2) get people to walk more, drive less. No idling 2 minutes in the parking lot to park right in front of the escalator to the 24 hr fitness (in San Diego). Park at the back where spaces are freely available At the macro level, stop civil planning around the car. 3) related to #2, less TV, more outdoor activity. IOW, stop cancelling PE in schools, and parents stop letting xbox/ps sports be the only ones your kids play. 4) get people to abuse drugs less. Huge contribution to infant mortality rates (along with different standard for measuring). Huge contribution to crime. 5) legalize drugs. Reduce the benefits of murdering each other for the business. Reduce the costs of the products so people don't commit crime to pay for the habit. Now when you look at this....what can an organization like Kaiser do to improve any of them? Absolutely nothing. The medical world has coped with these problems with outstanding advances in acute care, and in drugs that mitigate the effects of our lifestyle choices. But most of these problem come from our collective decisions to ignore what we know is best. Your points have a lot to do w/it, yes. I do disagree w/some of your thoughts about drugs, though. More to the point, large Insurers do any number of evil things just to hold onto more money. There have been a multitude of cases where the big Insurers literally threw people into the abyss. Knowing those very sick People would die. They've even structured bonuses so the more people some insurance minions screwed over. The more they'd make in performance bonuses. Accessibility & affordability are the areas where the large Insurers could meaningfully contribute to public health. Another example would be two People who are each diagnosed w/the same type of Cancer. One Patient has [remium coverage, & receives top shelf treatments throughout their battle. They survive, & return to their life. The second Patient has marginal coverage, & receives cut-rate care from Day One. That Person dies. I'd love to see a number of the changes you mentioned. There is much more the insurance industry could do, though. They're far from innocent in this debate.

It's a done deal, a moot point, and complete bullshit from the start. This was a 25% Black community with a couple of race pimps that wanted to make a big deal out of this to get media coverage. The deal is cratered and its gone. No issue, no media coverage, no more headlines for (insert acronym for whatever they called themselves) to get attention. It's over so move on with your lives. Of course, You're entitled to your opinion, but a few of your points contradict the article's facts. Dunno why you replied to a post w/a different subject (?).

No, it's a loss of $169M dollars. (.65 x 260M) Basic math. The games they place to avoid paying taxes are declaring the profits having been made in Ireland and the like. And then pressuring to be allowed to repatriate that money back into the US. Giving to charity is giving to charity. My company grants me 6 days of volunteer time off each year as part of it's goal to give away 1% of time, profits, and services. The CEO put this policy in when it was basically a startup, long before it became 13,000 people. I don't follow all the games the big boys play w/offshore hidden monies. I'm sure there's a lot of them. You said they give $0.65 on every dollar they'd otherwise have to pay in taxes. That's $91 million SAVED. Basic Math. Dunno how you see that as a loss. Beats the Hell out of throwing away $260 million to the Govt...

I agree w/most of your points, but one thing doesn't add up. If the US has such world class health care for all. Why are we ranked 35th in life expectancy? [Url]http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy[/url] It isn't working...

You've seen the books on a lot of multi-bazzillion dollar companies, have you? It's a game they all play. Beats the Hell out of handing it over to a corrupt Govt... Plus, they get good PR from it. It's a win_win situation. Besides, $.35 on the Dollar X $260 MILLION = a nice piece of change.

"So, are you mad that they had the money to spend on the poor and charities, or do you just think that a corporation shouldn't decide where and when and how to help people?" Hold on, Turtle. I'm not mad at any of it (?). All large Corporations give to charities to avoid having to pay it in taxes. It benefits the Charities, & I don't oppose it. Saying that it came out of their profits, though? No, that's not true.

OK Doug, Fair enough on some of your points. In particular, I wasn't aware of TJ catering to ethnic markets. I've never actually set foot in one, & only drew an impression from their site. Their giving $260 million to charity amounts to a tax write-off. The opposition was never the majority? Looks like They've got a very valid reason to be acutely sensitive to gentrification. "The King neighborhood was already changing. Nearly three-fourths of the community was African-American in 1990, according to U.S. Census figures. By 2010, only a quarter of the area’s residents were African-American." Oregon should be offering perks through tax breaks, not the land. Local residents have been carrying that land through their property taxes. They've a right to be upset about a $2.4 million Gimme. "Some decried the Portland Development Commission’s decision to sell the lot to Majestic, owned by billionaire Edward Roski Jr., at a price $2.4 million less than the land's assessed value." "The loudest complaints came from PAALF, the Portland African American Leadership Forum." I don't think these show the picture as being so one-sided as you say. "In an unprecedented move, PDC officials in January acknowledged the urban renewal agency's past role in contributing to gentrification and displacement in historically black neighborhoods. But the PDC stood behind the project and brushed aside PAALF's request to include affordable housing, saying the two-acre lot wasn't the right place for it." "A month later, the NAACP wrote an editorial on The Huffington Post calling the city’s deal a “case study in gentrification.” This next one shows the group's own agenda. Looks like they shot themselves on the foot, perhaps. Granted, if they're insisting on some kind of housing project to be built there. It isn't gonna happen. Certainly not after 20 years of refusals from higher Authorities. There are multiple lots available. Perhaps the opposition Leaders need to be more flexible in their demands. "The activists said they will continue working on a plan to bring African Americans and other low-income people who had been “forcibly removed” back to the inner city. Their group still wants the development commission, the city’s economic-development arm, to build affordable housing on the property." W/a fuller picture provided by your additional links, perhaps it would've helped more than it hurt the community. The situation wasn't what it first appeared to be to me. Too late for that one, now. Hopefully, they do better at the next opportunity. Going from 3/4s of the community, down to 1/4 will cause strong reactions from the Black community. Emotions may have gotten the better of them in this deal. On a more personal note. You seriously drive 125 freakin miles to a grocery store??? That's extreme.

QED: https://www.google.com/#q=majority+of+new+jobs+added+are+part+time&start=0

"To me; the issue is not LE. The issue is sovereign immunity for prosecutors." I include them in my view of the LE community.

"If you're thinking I don't like my tax dollars going to help people who won't help themselves, your answer is a resounding YES." Agreed. BUT, You're assuming that everyone, or even a majority in that community, fits that description. "What planet do you live on? You're not in business are you? It takes a mix of businesses and I can guarantee you the local business people don't care who owns the business if it helps theirs to be successful." Same as you, last time I checked. Yes, a lot of the local businesses would appreciate the increased traffic, to a point. Not all of that increased traffic would be interested in their wares, & too much of that disinterested traffic could force the businesses out, as well. "No, they are in it to make a profit. It would have been a much needed boost for that area but the activists killed it. Beyond stupid. I realize you don't see it that way." Right. Here, We don't agree. Spot's article shows several other food stores within a few miles. Emotions sometimes overrule logic. TJ's is perceived as being a small specialty store, selling a lot of gourmet fare. That's how they portray themselves. They may or may not also offer many staples at competitive prices. It's irrelevant. They're perceived as a further threat to gentrification. According to that latest article, the Anti's are now in the minority. That didn't used to be the case. I don't blame them for not wanting it. TJ's is hardly the only way forward. I hope they find a solution that works for them.

This. That repugnant POS has been caught in far too many lies. All of those will come out, & be thrown back in her face. She can't feign coughing fits throughout an entire campaign .

No, a Cop who engages in that behavior is far worse than common street scum.

Doesn't sound like you're concerned for such Communities. Sounds like you think Welfare pays for all of it, & you want it to just go away... My impression of such neighborhoods is, Blacks want black businesses to thrive there. They also only want things to thrive to a certain extent. Otherwise, they'll still be priced out of the area. There's a balance. You've got plenty of neighborhoods you can choose from. Let them have theirs. You don't honestly believe the white, trendy California chain wanted to give back to the black community, do you??

Kelly, When bad Cops n DAs pull crap like this. Don't the good Cops get pissed at them? When you hear about a Cop getting killed during a nothing traffic stop, for example. I wonder who the asshole Cop was who had mistreated that person in the past. When bad Cops abuse their authority. Another Uniform will have to answer for it. Is the climate still too much like in Serpico's day?

To repeat: Blacks don't want beef, chicken, vegetables, dairy, beer, booze, chips, fruits, juice, frozen foods, candy? Even if they choose to ignore the "gourmet" items, half the store are well priced basic goods. It is irrational to prefer the shitty standard of the ghetto stores you refer to. Irrational whenever Folks don't agree w/your views? TJ's doesn't belong there. That community knows it, & so do I. If you had more experience in those types of neighborhoods. We wouldn't be debating this. Feel free to keep shaking your head, saying this shouldn't have happened. It did.

OK, I'll grant you that many think they're far more effective than they really are, but... I recall watching video footage from a Cobra attack Helo. They were providing security to a mixed US/Afghan convoy at night. As the disbelieving Army guys in the Helo watched. Four Afghans crowded around an unexploded 155mm round in the roadway. One of the Afghans started beating on it w/his AK's butt. The third or fourth whack detonated it... They were instantly vaporized. Yet, that type of fighter has withstood everything the last two superpowers on the planet had, & still remains in the field. They didn't have modern urban environments to hide in, either. If ignorant goat herders who lack even basic understanding of gunpowder can accomplish that. I think you need to reconsider your position. Further arguing of this is pointless. You have a nice evening...

I thought you were supposed to be a smart guy? The report is full of lies, from a lying Govt. agency. You've been handed far too much money in life, professor. You can pay a larger share of this latest TROG debacle.

"...but I have always been a very good observer of my fellow countrymen and women." I can say the same.

"Ha ha. The revolution was precipitated by a 3% tax on imports. What does the "armed populace" get now? Surveillance cameras on street corners, traffic light cameras, speed cameras, wars fought on the basis of lies, NSA spying, TSA in the airports, taxes upon taxes, and the best Congress money can buy. Yep, that "armed populace" has certainly prevented abuses." Laugh it up, old man. You're being protected by those that you mock. Go ahead & hide w/your skirts & Berkley collectibles...

"The vociferous members of the 101st Keyboard Militia will protect America...... I think not." An armed & determined Populace aren't keyboard Rambos. Your bordering on being rude...

We disagree. Enough already. You're not going to change my mind, or prove me wrong.

I think you will find Hellfire BOOM's are more effective... the real Death from Above.. Who owns all of those again?? Who controls them? The same evil corporate intere$t$ that have been frustrated at not controlling the populations of Afghanistan & Iraq for the past 13 years... They can't subdue those populations, & the United States would be far harder. What percentage of the military personnel wouldn't tell the brass to shove it when ordered to fire on US citizens? Getting young troops to attack brown people half a world away, is one thing. Those same propaganda tricks won't work when they're asked to turn America into a battleground. A10s & attack choppers would be a lot more effective than Hellfires, btw. There are hundreds of millions of us, & how many such aircraft?? History has plenty of examples where unrestrained total warfare against a seemingly weaker populace has failed to subdue them. The Russians threw everything they had (except nukes) against the mountain people of the Ghan, for a full decade. The Russians got their asses handed to them. They gave up & left, abandoning much of their equipment.

I forgot your real name, Amazon. I think we simply disagree on something. Yes, there are certainly a fair percentage of Sheeple walking around this land. However, there are also many more angry, aware People in society than I think you realize. For example, I remember Huckabee's remarks on illegal immigration when he ran for President. It was during an unguarded moment of an interview. He was absolutely dumbfounded that America was fully prepared to have a second Revolution over the Feds trying to bulldoze through legalization of the illegal. I've got nothing against you. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this.

"They have to find me first......" Then, go run & hide. For surely, the powder Keg WILL go Boom...

"With all due respect, "beyond a reasonable doubt and with DNA" is not a legal standard." No disrespect taken. Beyond a reasonable doubt, & other levels of proof didn't exist before we created them. We did so in response to a broken & unfair system. Sounds like we're broken, again. We can codify new standards, no? Those two Men suffered 21+yrs of prison, w/damage that will probably last the rest of their lives. I only hope they can sue the guilty jurisdiction into the stone age. If not, THAT definitely needs to get fixed. Unjust Laws promote Vigilantes.